Published: Tuesday, February 26, 2013 at 06:24 PM.

Kim Crawford said moving south to Burlington has been a learning experience.

“I got here in January and one of the first days, they’re closing everything,” Crawford said, “It’s one o’clock. I ask ‘What’s going on?’ They say, ‘Haven’t you heard? It’s supposed to snow at 6 (p.m.)’ ”

Then Crawford chuckled. Residents of Burlington, she said, react differently to the forecast of a little winter weather than do people in Duluth, Minn., her previous residence.

Crawford, 51, is the new executive director of Allied Churches of Alamance County. She replaced the Rev. Harold “Hunter” Thompson who left last September to return to the ministry.

Allied Churches, located on Fisher Street, provides services to the homeless and needy — including daily lunches in the Good Shepherd Kitchen, an emergency night shelter, financial assistance with utility bills and access to services ranging from mental health evaluations to resume writing at the Allied Resource Center.

Crawford said one thing she’s hoping to do in her new role is educate, both the homeless who use the shelter and the general public who know little about the homeless. She said most people think of the homeless as aged men who care little about improving themselves and who are constantly looking for a handout.

Crawford said the fact is, the average age of a homeless person in the United States is 9.

Kim Crawford said moving south to Burlington has been a learning experience.

“I got here in January and one of the first days, they’re closing everything,” Crawford said, “It’s one o’clock. I ask ‘What’s going on?’ They say, ‘Haven’t you heard? It’s supposed to snow at 6 (p.m.)’ ”

Then Crawford chuckled. Residents of Burlington, she said, react differently to the forecast of a little winter weather than do people in Duluth, Minn., her previous residence.

Crawford, 51, is the new executive director of Allied Churches of Alamance County. She replaced the Rev. Harold “Hunter” Thompson who left last September to return to the ministry.

Allied Churches, located on Fisher Street, provides services to the homeless and needy — including daily lunches in the Good Shepherd Kitchen, an emergency night shelter, financial assistance with utility bills and access to services ranging from mental health evaluations to resume writing at the Allied Resource Center.

Crawford said one thing she’s hoping to do in her new role is educate, both the homeless who use the shelter and the general public who know little about the homeless. She said most people think of the homeless as aged men who care little about improving themselves and who are constantly looking for a handout.

Crawford said the fact is, the average age of a homeless person in the United States is 9.

“That breaks the stereotype right there,” she said. “Most of us live upper middle class lives. It’s hard to imagine those who don’t.”

Crawford said Allied Churches serves 60 to 70 people in its homeless shelter on a typical night. She pointed to a school bus — its emergency flashers engaged — that rolled to a stop outside the agency one recent weekday afternoon.

“What does your neighbor look like?” Crawford asked. “The homeless kid who has to catch the bus right out here.”

Crawford previously worked with Life House Inc., a nonprofit agency in Minnesota that feeds and shelters at-risk, homeless youth and young adults. Life House programs aim to assist clients with housing, jobs, education and overall health.

Crawford assumed the role of executive director of Life House in 2008 and increased the agency’s donor base by 141 percent through campaigns and events.

“Kim has a great track record,” said Greg Seel, a member of the board of directors of Allied Churches. “She took over a nonprofit similar to ours and was able to turn it around. She’s got the skills to be able to make great things happen for Allied Churches.”

Crawford is single. She moved to Burlington with her two springer spaniels, Brach and Ravi.

Crawford earned her bachelor’s degree at Lindenwood University in St. Charles, Mo., and also earned a master’s degree in corporate communications there. She has a second master’s degree, this one in religion and theology, from United Theological Seminary in the Twin Cities of Minneapolis/St. Paul, Minn.

Crawford is outgoing and friendly and said she’ll never turn down an opportunity to speak about the merits of Allied Churches

“I’ll go anywhere, any day of the week,” she said. “I don’t care if it’s one person, 100 people or a thousand people. People need to know all the good things Allied Churches is doing.”